1. Field of Invention
The present general inventive concept relates generally to an insulation tube, and more particularly to a multi-hole insulation tube with multiple interior insulation channels to accommodate multiple conduits of unequal temperatures. Each channel within the tube is insulated from the other channels so as to substantially prevent the negative influence of one conduit on another through conduction.
2. Description of the Related Art
The insulation of conduits or piping has long been known in the art. Further, the prior art also discloses grouping multiple conduits together and the insulation thereof. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,725,028 teaches a trunk line comprising a plurality of elongated flow lines in parallel juxtaposition, all housed in a single thermal insulation member. U.S. Pat. No. 5,400,602 teaches a foam-insulated hose designed to accommodate both a supply and return conduit filled with cryogenic fluid.
One problem with the above-mentioned prior art is that they cannot accommodate multiple conduits of unequal temperatures. When separate conduits or flow lines of unequal temperatures are in contact with one another, energy is transferred between them through conduction. Conduction causes each conduit or flow line to negatively influence the other. Thus, a system having a hot line and a cold line could not be housed in the same insulation envelope without energy being transferred between them.
In an effort to separate conduits housed in the same insulation envelope, U.S. Pat. No. 6,719,018 B2 discloses a beverage chase system where distribution lines are bundled together and enclosed in a foam tubular member. Multiple bundles are then grouped together in a parallel juxtaposition and encapsulated in a single insulated housing. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,653,541 teaches a tube assembly for accommodating one or more conduits, each having a steel inner tube inside a steel outer tube and a plastic jacket enclosing the outer tubes. Going even further, U.S. Pat. No. 4,194,536 discloses composite tubing with one or more conveyance lines and one or more heating lines. One embodiment with multiple conveyance lines also includes a separation member that encompasses a single conveyance line and thermally separates said line from another line housed in the same composite tube.
In all the prior art disclosures with multiple conduits encompassed in a single insulation envelope, multiple conduits are either in direct contact with one another or are separated by an additional component meant to either insulate one or more conduits from another conduit or group thereof, or bundle a group of conduits together. What the prior art does not provide is a single insulation tube that has two or more insulation channels to accommodate and insulate two or more conduits of unequal temperatures without additional structural components.